Don't Forget
by Captain Anemone
Summary: Songfic: Whenever You Remember by Carrie Underwood. Arabella's leaving Jack again and he wants to make sure she will remember all that they accomplished together.


**A/N: Okay, so this is a songfic of the song Whenever You Remember by Carrie Underwood. I hope you like it, and don't worry, I'm a Sparrabella fan.**

This was it, she was leaving. And he didn't know if he would ever see her again. Would they meet up years from now when they were both grown with lives so different that they couldn't relate? Or would Jack simply never see Arabella ever again? Maybe he wouldn't see her torn skirt swish as she moved. And maybe he wouldn't see her dazzling smile. It hurt that he might never hear her laugh again. But looking back, he was more than a little proud at what they had accomplished. The adventures they had had. They had certainly grabbed this life by the neck, and Jack would remember that forever. But would she? Jack looked up to see her crossing the gangplank with slow diliberate steps. He knew he had near vowed never to see her mother again, but Jack could put that aside momentarily. He couldn't leave it like this, he needed to know that she had as much fun as he. That she was just as proud of everything they did together. Without a second thought, Jack raced up the beach, kicking white sand up with every panicked step. He just hoped he would get there before they unfurled the sails. If that happened, he would never catch her.

_When you look back on times we had_

_I hope you smile_

_And know that through the good and through the bad_

_I was on your side when nobody could hold us down_

_We claimed the brightest star_

_And we, we came so far_

_And no they won't forget_

He pounded up the gangplank, and all but dived over the rail to skid to a stop on the deck of the _Fluer_ _de la Morte_.

"Jack! What are you doing here? We're leaving!" Arabella called, and as Jack turned, he saw her on the arm of that Bloody Billy. The sight sent ripples of such intense emotion through Jack that he almost felt his eyes burn with tears. _Almost_. Her voice, even though he had heard it not five minutes ago, was like a breath of fresh air only to be snatched cruely from his lungs by the sight of the sailor who had gotten the girl. He, Jack, had lost. He had lost her. Again. But it didn't matter now, he only had one motive now.

"Belle... I- I mean I- I need to talk to you. 'Cause- I mean- It's just- Just come here doll, aye?" He stuttered, just bearly noticing the amused smile twisting Bill's face. Something else he probably should have noticed was the low groan of Mr. Reese's and the scowl on Captain Laura's face that suggested she was not above reaching for her sword should Jack detain them on this spit of land any longer.

"Uh... Sure Jack." She said cautiously. _'She's scared of me,'_ Jack realized. _'She's scared of what I'll say_._'_ With a gulp, Jack approached her and took her other arm -a bit roughly- leading her steadily away from Bill who's grin had was now so gone that Jack doubted whether it had ever been there. When he had her far enough from Bill and the rest of the group Jack asked her what he'd dived onto this deck to ask.

"Belle... I just have to know... Will you miss us? I mean, you know how we were always partners and how we took every step together, and almost always in the same direction. We're a team luv. I- I just need to know that you feel the same way."

"Jack," Arabella scoffed, pulling her arm from his. There was a look of such humiliating superiority on her face that Jack had a sudden urge to strike her. "I knew it. You like me!" She was talking a bit to loud for his liking, and sure enough Capt. Laura's frowning face began to relax into one of mild amusement. This was not the reaction he wanted at all. Not at all. How could she act this way?

"No! I mean- I mean... Yes. I do- did. But- But I thought you'd understand. I hoped -still hope- that you would look back on what we did together. I mean-"

"Jack," Arabella interuppted, holding up a hand for silence. "just stop. I don't feel that way about you."

"No! You're not listening to me!" Jack was getting desperate now. He glanced to the left and saw that Mr. Reece was shaking his head sadly next to Captain Laura who was on the verge of hysterics. Turning frantically to the right he saw Bill with a beaming smile on his face and a look that spoke quite clearly of his amusement at Jack's humiliation. Turning back to Arabella who had such a demeaning air about her, Jack felt himself losing control. He snatched her arms, forcing her to look at him. Forcing her to see that he was serious. Forcing her to see. "Arabella, I didn't want you to act this way. This isn't what I wanted to happen!" Jack realized he was all but shouting, but he didn't care who heard. This was important. Jack took a deep, steadying breath and continued in a calmer tone of voice. "But even so, I hope you'll look back on the good times we've had, and the good -great- things we did. And I hope you can smile when you think of us, of me."

"Jack-" Arabella began, an incredulous look on her face.

"No, don't. And I want you to know this Arabella: I was rooting for you mate. I was on your side throughout this whole crazy thing. We found things no one else has even come close to finding and even though I know I let you down with the sword of Cortez and all, we still came _so _far together. So know this, I won't forget." He stared straight in her eyes, willing her to understand, to know how he felt and to -at least in some way- feel the same.

"But Jack, that part of our lives is over. There's no reason to hold on to it any longer. I bet you Tumen and Jean have already left the past sailing with you long forgotten." Jack didn't miss the way she diliberately said "you". He was the forgettable one was he? The rest -even Arabella- were just tag alongs?

"No... No, they haven't forgot. They _won't_ forget." He insisted. He had to believe that. For him, and for her.

_Whenever you remember times gone by_

_Remember how we held our heads so high_

_When all this world was there for us_

_And we believed that we could touch the sky_

_Whenever you remember, I'll be there_

_Remember how we reached that dream together_

_Whenever you remember_

"Look, Arabella. I _know_ you'll remember. If only in passing, you _will_ remember. So when you do, remember how proud you were to be a part of my crew. Remember when the whole world was in our hands and we could pick and choose our fates. And you know, maybe you don't believe it now, but I could see it in your eyes Belle. You believed you could touch the stars from the deck of the _Barnacle_. And I was there. I was always there. I saved your life more than one time Belle, and whenever you remember, I'll be there. Remember our dreams Belle. And remember how we used to reach them. Not by ourselves. It wasn't a lonely struggle, we reached them together. Please, _please_ Belle. Remember that."

_When you think back on all we've done_

_I hope you're proud_

_When you look back and see how far we've come_

_It was our time to shine_

_And nobody could hold us down_

_They thought they'd see us fall_

_But we, we stood so tall_

_And no we won't forget_

She had to understand. Why didn't she understand? What was he saying wrong? A look of pity? This wasn't _right_! Releasing her, Jack turned her back on Arabella. He couldn't look her in the eyes. He couldn't stand to see the look. That horrible look he knew best from older sailors in docks when he came into a dock in a longboat. Pity. Gutwrenching, demeaning, agonizing pity. Besides, sometimes it helped to be the first to turn away. That way, you're not first to hurt. You're in command. At least, that's what he told himself.

"Jack, I don't think you understand. It just didn't mean that much to me." Arabella said, extending her arms to Jack a little. But it was not because she cared for him, it was because she felt bad for him. And Jack knew that. But he just couldn't keep himself from turning back to her. His hand slid into hers, and his head slumped against his shoulder. And no matter how much self control Jack felt like he had -or pretended he had- he just couldn't keep a slight whimper from creeping into his words.

"When you think back," he began in a whisper.

"No Jack, I _won't_!" Arabella replied with venom.

"Please, I wish you would... I- I hope you're proud. You know, of everything we've done. And when you look back," he paused, waiting for her to protest, but she was to busy looking completely baffled by Jack's behavior to stutter out one indignant sylable. "and see just how far you've come since waiting tables at that bar, just know, it was our time to shine. I guess that's over now, and I can't change that. But we proved them so wrong." Jack got a far away look in his eyes, and a confidence entered his voice. He pictured his father finding him gone. He was seeing Arabella's father discovering that his daughter had finally stood up to the world and left him. Jack was seeing all that they had proved and hearing all those words spoken. Words designed to put you down, to chain your feet to a path, to keep your mind in a cage, to keep your heart in their hand. Spoken by all those that were now proved so wrong. "They were _so _wrong." He whispered almost inaudibly. If he had not been so far from the present he might have noticed just how heroic he looked at that moment. When Jack's eyes finally met Arabella's again there was a new fire in them that she couldn't place. "No one could keep us home, in our cages. They thought they could hold us down, but we were meant to fly Arabella, _you _were meant to fly. I know now that you don't see it, maybe you never saw it. But we were flying Belle. You were flying. And all those people who thought you couldn't do it, thought you'd fall to the ground and were there to catch you? They were wrong. They were dead wrong. We stood taller than any of them. And that's why I won't forget. Why _we_ won't forget."

_Whenever you remember times gone by_

_Remember how we held our heads so high_

_When all this world was there for us_

_And we believed that we could touch the sky_

_Whenever you remember, I'll be there_

_Remember how we reached that dream together_

_Whenever you remember_

Arabella pulled her hand from Jack's, her eyes clouding with anger. And Jack knew that she wasn't ready to hear him. That she wasn't ready to understand. At least, not now. But if he could finish what he wanted to tell her then maybe, just maybe, she would think back on it when she was ready. Maybe she would understand then what he had meant to her and what she had meant to him. But he would most likely be gone by the time that happened. If that happened. It might be years down the road. Or it might not happen at all. But one thing was certain, it wasn't happening right now. One look in those blazing eyes of hers and he knew that. "How dare you tell me to remember you! I mean I have a new life now Jack, so just leave me alone! This world was never ours. We were just in it! Just like now. And regardless of what _you _might have believed, I _never_ asumed such foolish things as being able to live in paradise and do the impossible. I don't want you there, and I don't want you here. I reached my dream Jack, but I reached it alone. Bill is my dream, and I'm not going to throw that away by foolishly trying to regain the past. I won't remember you, at least not like that. You'll always be that chapter in my life where I almost died. That is, _if _I remember." With that, Arabella turned her back on Jack and marched with her nose in the air back to Bill who had his arm extended before she even reached him. With a wicked grin, Bill put an arm around Arabella's waist, and Jack felt a sharp pain in his stomach.

_We claimed the brightest star_

_And we, we came so far_

_You know that we, we showed them all_

_And no they won't forget_

"Y-your wrong. We- we came further together than most people go in a lifetime. I thought- I mean, we showed them. We showed them all. They won't ever forget, and if they won't forget then why should we?" Jack felt his self composure slipping away, and he heard the strain in his own voice. Suddenly, a great roaring laughter came from behind Jack and to the left. Turning, Jack saw that Captain Laura had finally lost her self control and was now laughing so hard she was doubling over.

"Oh, oh, that was _classic_! This guy is great! A natural born poet!" Captain Laura announced between fits of giggles. And then Jack heard the same sick, mocking laughter from behind him to the right. Turning glumly on his heel, he saw something he should have expected, but all the same it cut right through him and made his eyes burn with unignorable tears. There she was, his beloved Arabella, a sick smile twisting her face, leaning on Bill for support as she laughed so hard it brought tears of mirth to her eyes. On her side, her arm still in his, Bill was in a similar condition.

"Oh wow, now that you say it mom, that _was _pretty corny! You should have an act in a bar in Tortuga Jack!" She was just bearly able to speak because she was laughing so hard, but Jack should have known that wouldn't have stopped her from saying something cruel. He should have known, he should have seen it coming. But he didn't, and his walls where down. He was hit straight on without any mental armor to protect him. He was being massacred. He was being mercilessly tortured. Jack felt a tear roll down his cheek, soon followed by another, and another. He lowered his head, and he tried to wipe them away, to stifle the sobs, but someone must have heard because someone said,

"Aw, is the little baby gonna cry?" Jack didn't know who said it, he didn't care. He turned to leave, but not without choking out a whispered goodbye through his tears. He was just about to step up onto the gangplank when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, daring to hope, Jack saw Mr. Reece. He looked serious and sincere, but Jack had had enough of trusting people, he was smarter now, smart enough not to fall for that.

"Look, Jack, I'm sorry about all of that. Captain Laura, she's really a good person. She just makes a few mistakes, like any person. Please, don't think badly of her." Mr. Reece said firmly and with confidence, but Jack noticed he was keeping his voice out of earshot of his still laughing captain. Just the same, he felt as though he ought to reply. Something, anything...

"You keep tellin' yourself that." He choked back, ripping his gaze from Mr. Reece's. Jack was just stepping off the gangplank when he heard Mr. Reece's farewell. "Goodbye Jack Sparrow, and good luck."

Jack ran. He just kept running. Running from his humiliation, running from his pain, running from all the things he knew he would eventually have to face. When he stopped running he only had one request. Only one request for only one person. In all the Earth, out of all the people on the planet, out of all the things he could ask of them, Jack only wanted one thing from her. "Don't forget." He whispered into the cold air. "Don't forget."

**A/N: Okay, so I hope you liked it! I'm sorry that Arabella was so horrible, but I just felt like it fit the senario better.**

**Disclaimer: Kay, so I don't own Jack Sparrow or Pirates of the Caribbean and own Whenever You Remember by Carrie Underwood even LESS so please don't sue me because I doubt my posessions are worth your time.**


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